Intermittent positive pressure breathing device

ABSTRACT

A hand-held respirator comprising a gas pressure source, exhaust port means and a plurality of tubular elements in a substantially tee shape with the leg of the tee having a pressure relief valve for patient exhalation to atmosphere, an air intake valve for controlling ambient air inflow, and inhalation and exhalation passages; with the head of the tee having a nebulizer at one end receiving gas from said pressure source therethrough for flow directly to the patient and a mouthpiece at the other end for passing gas from said source with air to the patient, the gas flow through the nebulizer and mouthpiece when the exhaust port means is closed being maintained distinct until reaching the patient.

United States Patent (72] Inventors Joseph W. Spradling;

John P. Kayser, both of Madison, Wis. 21 Appl. No. 744,813 [22} FiledJuly 15,1968 [45) Patented Sept.7, 1971 [73] Assignee Air ReductionCompany. Incorporated Murray Hill, NJ.

[54] lNTlERMl'I'lENT POSlTllVE PRESSURE BREATHING 1011511111315 4Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

152] 11.5. C1 l28/145.8, 128/194 1.111] 1nt.C1 Afilm 7/02 1510] FieldofSearch 128/145.8, 185,145.6,211,208,140,142,142.2,142.3,194,146.3,l95,196,197,187,188,205,l45,145.5, 145.7, 141, 202

{M11 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,301,255 1/1967 Thompson128/194 2,268,145 12/1941 Welty 128/202 2,693,178 11/1954 Gilroy 128/1942,897,833 8/1959 Seeler....v l28/l45.8 3,083,707 4/1963 Seeler.....128/194 (X) 3,170,463 2/1965 Duggan 128/205 Primary Examiner-Richard A.Gaudet Assistant ExaminerG. F. Dunne AttorneysH. Hume Mathews and EdmundW. Bopp ABSTRACT: A hand-held respirator comprising a gas pressuresource, exhaust port means and a plurality of tubular elements in asubstantially tee shape with the leg of the tee having a pressure reliefvalve for patient exhalation to atmosphere, an air intake valve forcontrolling ambient air inflow, and inhalation and exhalation passages;with the head of the tee having a nebulizer at one end receiving gasfrom said pressure source therethrough for flow directly to the patientand a mouthpiece at the other end for passing gas from said source withair to the patient, the gas flow through the nebulizer and mouthpiecewhen the exhaust port means is closed being maintained distinct untilreaching the patient.

minnow 7m Y 3,603,308

FIG.2

INVENTORS JOH N P. KAY SER JOSEPH SPRADLING ATTORNEY INTERMIITTIENTPOSITIVE PRESSURE BREATHING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Breathingdevices which provide respiratory assistance in the form of gas flowunder pressure carrying medicament and moisture are known to the priorart.

Improvements in such devices as, e.g. manual finger flow control andcompactness for use in hand, are now available. However, no devices ofthis type have provided variable ambient air intake coupled withsimplified exhalation relief, and direct distinct flow from thenebulizer to the patient.

Prior art devices have been inefficient in transfer of moisture andmedicament from the nebulizer to the patient and have not permittedvarying the entry of ambient air into the device from a given flow rateof primary gas.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to flow control ofambient air which is utilized to dilute the carrier gas, and a pressurerelief valve associated therewith.

This invention further relates to means for maintaining the nebulizerflow separate from the main flow to the patient.

The above is accomplished by providing the tubular leg of a tee-shapeddevice with an air intake valve arrangement comprising circumferentialholes of varying size in the leg and a collar having an axial slit whichpermits the desired air entry into the leg through the hole exposed bythe slit. Nebulizer slow is maintained separate by utilizing an internaltube fixed to the nebulizer or mouthpiece, which tube extends from thenebulizer exit port to the mouthpiece exit port, thus not permittingintermixing of flows in the mouthpiece. A pressure relief valve isutilized in exhalation because of the restriction of the leg access toatmosphere in using an air intake valve arrangement.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide abreathing device which permits control of ambient air intake and hasassociated therewith a check valve to prevent pressure buildup andpermit exhalation through the mouthpiece.

It is a further object of this invention to provide the nebulizer withan extension tube to the patient's mouth, the tube maintaining thenebulizer flow segregated from the flow through the mouthpiece so as toprevent moisture buildup in the device, provide a visible mist andprevent loss of medicament in the device and otherwise.

These objects and other objects, features and advantages, will becomeapparent when the following description is read in the light of theaccompanying drawings and claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG.1 is a cross-sectional view of a breathing device constructed inaccordance with the present invention.

I FIG. 2 is a top view of the collar used in the air intake valve.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more specificallyto the drawing with reference characters, in FIG. 1, the breathingdevice generally designated at I comprises a plurality of tubularelements forming a generally tee shape.

The tee leg 2 has a body portion 2a, a neck portion 2b, and a connectingportion 2c. The tee head 3 has a nebulizer portion 3a, a connectingportion 3b, and a mouthpiece portion 3c. Leg connecting portion 2casshown in FIG. 1 is securely received within head connecting portion 3b.

Leg 2 includes a through-tube 4 having an annular shoulder 5 abuttingagainst the leg and an orifice 6 opening toward head 3. Tube 4 extendsinto tee connection 50 which connects it to a pressure supply, such as acompressed gas cylinder, not shown. The leg (not numbered) of the teeconnection has a tube 18 leading therefrom to the nebulizer portion 3ato supply the nebulizer with a carrier gas for moisture and medicament.The tube 4 opens to atmosphere at port 7 and is closable by thepatient's thumb when inhalation is desired.

Leg 2 further includes an air intake valve arrangement generallydesignated at 8. The valve comprises four circumferentially spacedapertures 9 of varying; size on body 2a, an annular groove 10 on body 20overlying said apertures and a collar 11 fitting in groove 10 and overthe apertures. As shown in FIG. 2, collar III has a slit 12 of such asize so as to permit complete exposure of the largest of said apertures9.

A mushroom type check valve arrangement 13 is used in conjunction withvalve 8 to provide pressure relief and an exhalation port. Stern 14 ofvalve 13 fits through an opening in a cross plate having apertures 15with the valve being biased closed by spring 16. The spring force caneasily be overcome by the pressure created by the patient's exhalation.The lower end of leg 2 is axially slotted at 30 to provide vents whenvalve head 17 is moved away from the plate. It should be noted that theapertures 9 also aid in pressure relief and exhalationventing but theexhalation flow line is not in alignment with these apertures and theapertures are in themselves of insutficient size to vent an exhalationwithout resistance. Therefore, the check valve arrangement 13 isnecessary.

Tube 18 is connected to nebulizer gas passage 19 having outlet 20. Thenebulizer portion 3a has a connector shell 21, a body 22 and a neck 23which is securely received within connecting portion 3b. Body 22 has amoisture and medicament reservoir 24 therein and suction tube 25communicating between the reservoir 24 and outlet 20. Thus, as gas underpressure passes from the compressed gas source through tube 18 andpassage 19, the expansion phenomenon at outlet 20 creates a negativepressure at tube 25 which draws moisture and medicament through tube 25to be impinged upon and broken down in particle size for carrying by thegas to the patient. The carrier gas with moisture and medicament thenpasses through extension tube 26 either attached internally to neck 23or mouthpiece portion 30 so that no gas passing out of the nebulizerportion contacts any other part of the breathing device before enteringthe patients mouth. Thus, the nebulizer flow shows as a visible mist atthe exit and no moisture or medicament is lost by contact andaccumulation at the portions 3b and 3 c.

Mouthpiece portion 30 is securely received within connect ing portion 3band passes the flow from tube 4 through orifice 6 to the patient.

In operation, the pressure source is opened with flow ex hausting toatmosphere on a path of least resistance through port 7. When inhalationis desired by the patient, he merely places thumb over the port 7 withresultant flow into tube 18 and leg 2 through orifice 6. Flow throughtube 18 proceeds through passage 19 where moisture and medicament fromreservoir 24 are picked up at tube 25 and passes through extension tube26 to the patients mouth which is positioned over mouthpiece portion 30.Flow through orifice 6 carries surrounding air entering through openaperture 9 with it through the upper part of leg 2, connecting portion3b and mouthpiece portion 30 while inducing the entry of more airthrough the desired aperture 9. The volume of ambient air desired isgoverned by the size of the aperture 9. Thus, the patient receives twodistinct flows on inhalation.

For exhalation, the patient merely removes his thumb from port 7 whichagain passes the entire gas. flow to atmosphere and, without removingmouthpiece portion 3c from his mouth, exhales. The exhalation flowpasses through mouthpiece portion 30 and into leg 2 as the path of leastresistance around tube 4 within leg 2, through apertures 15, and,exceeding the spring force, pushes the valve head 17 to open positionfor exhalation flow to atmosphere. Of course, part of the exhalationflow vents through the open aperture 9.

If pressure buildup occurs during inhalation with insufficient ventingby the open aperture 9, the valve arrangement 13 will be opened forpressure relief. The spring 16 in the instance of pressure buildupand/or exhalation returns the valve to closed position thereafter.

It is intended that all matter contained in the above description orshown in the accompanying drawings shall be considered illustrative andnot in a limiting sense. For example, the circular apertures 9 could bereplaced by a single rectangular aperture with calibrated markings todesignate the particular desired percentage flow; and the mushroom typevalve could be of a different check valve arrangement.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new l. A breathingdevice having a gas pressure source, conduit means being connected tosaid source and adapted to convey gas from said source to a patient,said conduit means comprising first and second inhalation flow passages,said first inhalation passage having valve means for permitting adesired inflow of ambient air and communicating between said source andthe patient and atmosphere and the patient, said second inhalation flowpassage communicating between said source and the patient and havingnebulizer means including an extension tube at the outlet of saidnebulizer means adapted to conduct the entire flow output of saidnebulizer means to said patient distinct from the flow output of anyother inhalation flow passage, said conduit means further comprising atleast one exhalation flow passage communicating between the patient andatmosphere and having pressure relief means whereby the ambient airconcentration or inhalation may be controlled and the patient may exhalethrough said pressure relief means, and said conduit further comprises athird passage communicating with atmosphere whereby the closing of saidthird passage permits inhalation and the opening of said third passagepermits exhalation through the device.

2. A breathing device as defined in claim 1 wherein said valve means insaid first inhalation passage includes aperture means in said conduitmeans and a movable closure element adapted to overlie said aperturemeans and adjustably regulate the inflow of ambient air.

3. A breathing device as defined in claim 2 wherein said aperture meanscomprises a plurality of apertures of dissimilar size and said closureelement is adapted to allow the inflow of ambient air through at leastone of said plurality of apertures.

4. A breathing device as defined in claim 2 wherein said pressure reliefmeans comprises a check valve adapted to vent the exhaled breath of apatient to the atmosphere.

1. A breathing device having a gas pressure source, conduit means beingconnected to said source and adapted to convey gas from said source to apatient, said conduit means comprising first and second inhalation flowpassages, said first inhalation passage having valve means forpermitting a desired inflow of ambient air and communicating betweensaid source and the patient and atmosphere and the patient, said secondinhalation flow passage communicating between said source and thepatient and having nebulizer means including an extension tube at theoutlet of said nebulizer means adapted to conduct the entire flow outputof said nebulizer means to said patient distinct from the flow output ofany other inhalation flow passage, said conduit means further comprisingat least one exhalation flow passage communicating between the patientand atmosphere and having pressure relief means whereby the ambient airconcentration or inhalation may be controlled and the patient may exhalethrough said pressure relief means, and said conduit further comprises athird passage communicating with atmosphere whereby the closing of saidthird passage permits inhalation and the opening of said third passagepermits exhalation through the device.
 2. A breathing device as definedin claim 1 wherein said valve means in said first inhalation passageincludes aperture means in said conduit means and a movable closureelement adapted to overlie said aperture means and adjustably regulatethe inflow of ambient air.
 3. A breathing device as defined in claim 2wherein said aperture means comprises a plurality of apertures ofdissimilar size and said closure element is adapted to allow the inflowof ambient air through at least one of said plurality of apertures.
 4. Abreathing device as defined in claim 2 wherein said pressure reliefmeans comprises a check valve adapted to vent the exhaled breath of apatient to the atmosphere.